The enforced opening of Japan in the 1850s and the modernization
policies pursued by the Meiji government after 1868 brought
profound changes to the practice of music in Japan. Western music
was introduced and disseminated through the military and the
education system as well as through missionaries. The practice of
indigenous Japanese music also changed profoundly as a result of
government policies and social and economic changes. In the course
of the 20th century developments like the development of
mass media (gramophone, film, radio broadcasting) and the emergence
of an urban consumer society brought further changes in musical
practices.

This course will look at the most important developments in the
history of music in Japan. Themes and possible topics for student
assignments will include the different genres of traditional music
of Japan, the introduction of Western music in Japan, including
popular forms such as jazz and tango, the development of popular
songs, music and the emerging middle classes, the search for a
“Japanese style” of music etc. In part, the topics treated in class
may be selected according to students’ interest and students are
encouraged to contact me in advance to discuss these.

Questions of theory and methodology will also be included, and
one of the main aims of the course will be to learn what the
history of music can contribute to our knowledge of the past in
general.

Lectures, discussions,
student presentations. PLEASE NOTE: 1. Of the 4 taught hours, 2
will be ”tutorial-style” and devoted to research methods, including
research in Japanese sources. If you are taking this course as an
elective or as part of your KA-programme, it will be possible to
attend only the two hours centered on the course topic. 2.
BA-students are expected to attend the course on academic writing
and presentation offered by ToRS in order to develop these skills
further.

IMPORTANT: If you are
taking this course as a BA course, please note that you should also
take the ToRS common course, “Projektstyring i opgaveskrivning”!
Although writing in an academic context is an indispensible
requirement for all the examinations this course is relevant for,
there is only limited time to cover academic writing in the “Japan”
course, which focuses on primarily on content.